DP’s man in the National Assembly SWEARS THE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE

DP’s man in the National Assembly SWEARS THE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE

Lawyer, Frank Elizabeth, wears the Oath of Allegiance as DP's new member of the National Assembly.

In a historic moment this week the Democratic Party’s nominated member in the National Assembly, lawyer Mr. Frank Elizabeth, took the oath of allegiance at the first meeting of the Fourth Session of the Assembly. This comes barely 12 months after Mr. Paul Chow took over the leadership of the party from the brink of political oblivion and took the first official step to regain the party’s former glory years.

The Democratic Party has a rich political history and boasts the first President of Seychelles from its ranks in the person of Sir James Mancham. It is the only other party in Seychelles to have been in government. The DP was ousted from power in a violent coup on June 5th, 1977 by its rival and junior partner in a coalition. In recent years the party’s popularity has slipped in the polls after the Seychellois electorate rejected its policy of national reconciliation, peace and harmony and vehemently advocated by its then leader Mr. Mancham. Mancham remains convinced, however, that this is best for Seychelles.

Many thought that the party would never recover from internal strife followed by the shock of election defeats and that it was inevitable that it would disappear into political wilderness never to return. However, things started to turn around when the experienced and astute Paul Chow took over the leadership of the party and succeeded in recruiting some fresh blood into the ranks of the leadership of the party. Chow was also convinced that the best way forward for DP is to strike an electoral alliance with the Seychelles National Party (SNP) in order not to divide the opposition vote which would only benefit the ruling party. It was Chow’s hope of getting a voice for DP in the National Assembly from which the party can build its foundation and offer the people of Seychelles an alternative “third way” in Seychelles politics.

The gamble has clearly paid off when, in compliance with the electoral agreement, the Seychelles Democratic Party nominated and the Seychelles National Party appointed Mr. Frank Elizabeth as its representative in the National Assembly after the 12th May National Assembly elections. It was indeed a proud moment and a tremendous accomplishment for the party this week when Mr. Elizabeth took the oath to be faithful and to bear true allegiance and to defend and protect the Constitution of Seychelles as a member the National Assembly.